At the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival, Nina Simone had many changes to make to
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
– a song originally written by William Taylor and Richard Carroll Lamb –
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free by Nina Simone – the free version!
'Wish I knew how
It would feel to be free
I wish I could break
All the chains still binding me, yeah
I wish I could say
All the things that I can say when I’m relaxed.
I'd be starting anew.
I wish I could be like a bird in the sky
Don’t leave me...
How sweet it would be to find that I could fly
I’d soar to the sun
And look down at the sea
Then I’d sing ‘cause I’d know
How it feels to be free.
Then I’d sing ‘cause I’d know
How it feels to be free.
I wish I could share all of the love that’s in my heart.
I wish I could break all things that find us apart.
‘Wish you could know what it means
To be me.
You’d see, you’d agree
Everybody should be free
‘Cause if we ain’t we’re murderous.
I wish I could be like a bird in the sky.
How sweet it would be If I find that I fly
I'd soar to the sun
Look down at the sea
And I’d know, yeah...
Oh yeah, spirit’s moving now... hmm… hmm...
I know, 'got news for you, I already know
Jonathan Livingston Seagull ain’t got nothing on me!
Free! Free! Free! Free!
I’m free! And I know it!
Don’t wanna be a…
And I show it.
But I’m still free
To believe in me.
It’s alright.
Then I’d sing, sing, sing,
‘Cause I would know
I already know
I already know
I found out
How it feels to
Not to be chained
To anything
To any race
To any faith
To anybody
To any creed
To any hopes
To any...
A N Y T H I N G !
I k n o w
h o w
i t f e e l s
t o b e f r e e !!
The original song served as an anthem for the 1960’s U.S. civil-rights movement.
Later it was used by the 2004 Olympics and by Coca-Cola.
[UPDATE: “What Happened Miss Simone?” is on Netflix]
